Stolen Moments: Season 2
by sonicsongbird
Summary: Repost. 3rd part of my Stolen Moments Set. Moments in the lives of Helen & Nikola's twins. Their continuing exploits throughout their mother's second 'lifetime'. Set during Season 2. Spoilers listed w/individual chapters. Rated T for safety. Please R&R. Thanks.
1. Chapter 1

**Here it is. The first chapter of Stolen Moments: Season 2. If you're just coming in now, you may want to go back and read the first two stories in this series - SM: Preseries and SM: Season 1. Although most of these will center around what Natalija and Vladimyr are up to during their mother's second 'lifetime', most will contain main characters as well. This chapter contains not only spoilers for S2E1 The End of Nights Pt1, but also some dialog taken right from the episode. No copyright infringement intended. I just needed it to set the scene. Enjoy.**

**Bold = thoughts**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 1:**

(The corridor outside the main lab in the Old City Sanctuary - 2009)

Natalija and Vladimyr Bancroft move quickly and silently through the corridors of the Old City Sanctuary, heading back to their original entry point. They had used the same entrance many years ago the few times they had visited Ashley, without their mother's approval. Nothing really changed, so they can still easily navigate without really focusing on where they are. As they approach the main lab, both of them hear voices emanating from the room. Stopping just short of the entrance, they flatten against the wall.

"No! John, please take me back!" Helen pleads.

"Helen," John answers mournfully.

Helen continues, "Take me back!"

"She will kill you! She'll kill us all!" John yells.

"Henry, get the EM shield back up, now!" Will orders.

"We had her! We found her!" Helen cries out.

Henry asks, "What the hell happened? You guys were gone for like ten minutes?"

"It didn't go well," Nikola offers.

"What in God's name have they done to her?" Helen questions.

"Will?" Henry asks softly.

Will answers, "She was waiting for us, but it wasn't any Ashley you'd know."

"They've used the Source Blood to change her," Nikola supplies, "She's the only progeny of two Source Blood altered abnormals. Smart move."

Helen points out, "It's not going to stop there. They'll use the Montana test subjects to make copies. There'll be more just like her very soon."

Natalija closes her eyes and shakes her head. **No! Not today! How could we have not realized what today was!** As a single tear rolls down her cheek, she feels Vladimyr take her hand and give it a gentle squeeze. She opens her eyes in time to see Helen storming out of the lab, with Will following closely behind. Silently, the siblings turn back the way they came from, planning to take a more circuitous route to the exit.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" Nikola growls lowly at them.

Slowly, as one, they turn to face a vamped out Nikola. "Hello, Dr. Tesla," Natalija says calmly with her British accent, "How good it is to see you again."

"Mr. and Miss Banks. No Serbian this time?" Nikola cocks his head a bit. He recognizes the young couple immediately, even though their appearances have changed somewhat. Mir's hair is shorter and darker, while Talia's is now straight and dark auburn.

"We can speak in Serbian, if you wish," she answers in Serbian.

"The Queen's English will do," Nikola replies evenly, shifting back to his human form.

"You know we can no more tell you what we are doing here, than we could tell you why we needed the containment field," Vladimyr answers.

"Of course not," Nikola states coldly. "But you do know what is going to happen, don't you?" he asks, looking pointedly at Natalija.

She drops her eyes to the ground then back up to his face and simply replies, "Yes."

"Then why don't you stop it. End this madness now!" Nikola demands.

Vladimyr steps forward, as if to protect his sister, "Because we can't!"

Nikola also takes a step forward, "Can't or won't?" he challenges.

"Please understand, Dr. Tesla. This…" Natalija sweeps her hands out, "all of it has already happened. Any attempt to change it now could irreparably alter the future. We are doing all that we can do!" Her eyes pleading with him to accept what she is saying to him as truth.

With a sigh, Nikola says, "I suppose that I can't tell anyone you were here."

"That would be for the best," Vladimyr replies.

Natalija surprises both men by walking up to Nikola and taking one of his hands in both of hers. She stares straight into his eyes and calmly states, "I know you love her enough to do what must be done, Dr. Tesla. Even though she does not show it now, so does she." Releasing his hand, she turns and walks away without looking back. With a quick glance at Nikola, Vladimyr silently turns and follows her.

Nikola stands there for a moment watching them disappear down the corridor. Turning on his heel, he heads to Helen's office, steeling himself for whatever fresh hell the Cabal is planning to throw at them.

* * *

><p>The twin's plan is about to come to fruition. They can't afford any interference, not even from their father. So tell me what you think. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the next chapter. It contains spoilers for S2E2 End of Nights Pt2. Enjoy.**

**Italics = memories/flashbacks**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 2:**

(An Unused Section of the New Sanctuary - 2009)

_Suddenly, there is clarity. Ashley Magnus grabs the wrist of the female super abnormal about to slice through Helen Magnus. She turns to look at her mother, her blue eyes clear for the moment._

_"Ashley, please," Helen cries._

_Ashley knows that her control is slipping. Soon she will be trying to rend her mother, again. She looks into Helen's pleading eyes and says the only thing she can get out, "Mom."_

_With the last of her control fading, she turns, pulling the other girl with her into a teleport. The normal red plasma flames end in an explosion of real fire, as the two women disappear. The pain so completely engulfs her that she cannot even scream._

With a start she wakes. Every part of her body aches with a pain she cannot quite explain. It is as if she is burning and freezing at the same time, but not exactly. Opening her blue eyes she finds another set of blue eyes staring back at her. She is startled by the realization of who those eyes belong to. Sure, her hair color has changed, but she is undeniably the same person.

"Talia."

"Welcome back, Ashley," Natalija replies, smiling. She returns to working on the I.V. machine next to the bed.

Ashley's confusion is evident, "Am I dead? I should be dead!"

"Well, yes. You should be, but we weren't about to let that happen. Now were we?" a male voice answers from the other side of the bed.

Ashley turns to see her other old friend, Mir, standing next to, what appears to be, a dialysis machine. She becomes fascinated watching the blood flow through the tubes on the machine. She follows the line of red back to her own arm. Startled, she looks back to Mir, then Talia.

"It's ok, Ashley," Natalija reassures her, laying her hand on Ashley's arm. "It's a bioartificial liver device. We need to flush all the drugs, they pumped into you, out of your system as quickly as possible. This is the easiest way."

"We were hoping to wait for your body to do it naturally, but you brought your friend along," Mir indicates a young light-skinned black woman lying unconscious on another bed, also hooked up to an I.V. "After a week of it though, Natalija has nearly reached the limits of her abilities trying to keep the two of you… stable. Good thing we had a backup plan."

"Abilities?" Ashley questions.

"Yes, my dear. I'm a telepath," the other woman responds.

Ashley looks up at her friend in shock, "You never told me that."

Natalija sits on the edge of the bed carefully and sighs, "There were so many things we were not able to tell you, at the time, Ashley. Bloody hell. We had to sneak away just to see you."

"But why?"

"Because Mother would not have approved," Vladimyr tells her.

Abruptly Ashley tries to get up, "Mom!"

Natalija and Vladimyr restrain her as gently as possible, holding her down until she stops struggling. All of a sudden, she feels extremely tired. She tries to fight it, but finds it harder and harder to think clearly.

"Sleep now," Natalija soothes her, "There will be plenty of time to talk later. I promise, dear sister."

"SSissterr?" Ashley slurs as she slips into the darkness of sleep.

Natalija tries to stand up only to slip to the floor. Her brother rushes around the bed to help her to her feet. He places an arm around her waist, walking her over to the nearest chair. Vladimyr knows this is taking a toll on his sister, but he also knows she won't give up.

"I think you may actually need to sleep, when this is all over, my darling sister," he quips. She smiles weakly at him and he realizes just how pale she is. Patting her hand he says, "Maybe some medicine will help, for now."

"Perhaps," she aswers, sliding down further in the chair.

Vladimyr goes over to one of the cabinets in the room to retrieve what appears to be an I.V. bag filled with a reddish liquid and a drinking glass. Upon returning, he opens the bag with his teeth and fills the glass. Natalija gladly takes the glass from him, when he holds it out to her. After she downs the contents, he empties the rest of the liquid into the glass. His sister drinks the second glassful more slowly. He is happy to see a bit of color return to her cheeks. Taking the glass from her hands, he sets it and the now empty bag on the nearby counter.

When he turns around, he finds Natalija staring intently at Ashley, "We really did it, Vladimyr," she whispers, "We saved her."

"Yes. Yes we did, Natalija," he replies, walking over to stand by her.

His sister faces him, her eyes filled with uncertainty, "What if I cannot repair the damage the Cabal did to her mind?"

Vladimyr takes her hands in his, "You will. I have faith in you. Remember I've seen what you can do."

"But," she breathes in a shaky breath, "what if I cannot?"

"Then, sister dear, we go from there," he states with a reassuring smile, "After all, there's no going back now."

She nods her agreement and they both return to watching their sister sleeping peacefully.

* * *

><p>Ok, I know it's probably not exactly what anyone was expecting, but they did save Ashley. Tell me what you think. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter 3. I know it's a bit short, but it says all it needs to. It contains spoilers for S2E3 Eulogy and S3E17 Normandy. Enjoy.**

**Bold = thoughts**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 3:**

(An alleyway, Unknown city, Unknown country- 2009)

John Druitt materializes in the alley with a grim look on his face. He and Nikola had taken down, yet, another Cabal facility and still were no closer to finding the woman he held responsible for his daughter's death. It was as if this Dana Whitcomb had simply disappeared. **I will find her! And when I do…**

"Mr. Montague John Druitt," a female voice states.

John swings around flicking open the knife he keeps up his sleeve. Standing before him is a young couple. A man with dark blonde hair and steel blue eyes grips a gun at the ready. But it is the woman next to him that holds John's attention. With her dark auburn hair and intense blue eyes, she possesses a remarkable resemblance to Helen Magnus when they 'met' in Normandy in 1944.

"There's no need for that," she indicates his knife with a wave of her hand. "We mean you no harm, Mr. Druitt." She glances at her partner, and he holsters his weapon. John lowers his hand, but keeps a tight hold on the blade.

"Who are you?" he asks, staring into the young woman's eyes. He is surprised and impressed that she does not back down, nor does she look away. **So much like Helen.**

"Our names are of no consequence," she starts.

"The information we have for you, on the other hand, is quite important," the man finishes.

John looks back and forth between the two for a moment, before inquiring, "What kind of payment do you expect for this information?"

The man begins, "We know what you will do with this information, Mr. Druitt…"

"And that is all the payment we need," the woman ends.

"What is this vital information?" John questions.

"The location of one Dana Whitcomb, Head of Logistics for the Cabal," the woman sneers as if she finds even saying the name to be distasteful.

John can't help but let a bit of his surprise show, "And how did you come to have this information?"

It is the young man who replies, "There are some questions that we just cannot answer."

"But I assure you, the information is correct," the woman interjects.

"You say you know what I will do with this information?" John asks.

"Yes," both of them reply.

"And you are still willing to give it to me?"

Again the two respond, "Yes."

John grins at the young couple in front of him, "Then, I think we have a deal."

The two look at each other and smile, their eyes going dark for a moment. Without further discussion they give him the information he wants. In a flash of red plasma flames, John Druitt disappears.

A moment later Natalija and Vladimyr Bancroft exit the alley. Oddly, neither one feels any regret for what they have just done. To them, it is justice for the pain, suffering, and deaths that this woman has caused.

* * *

><p>I know this chapter may have seemed OOC for the twins, but as stated in the last line they consider it justice. Even though they know Ashley is alive, they think Dana Whitcomb needs to answer for the humans and abnormals that died as a result of the experiments she authorized. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter has spoilers for S2E2: End of Nights Pt2 and S2E3: Eulogy. Enjoy.**

**Italics = flashbacks/memories**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 4:**

(Helen Magnus' Office, Old City Sanctuary - 2009)

Nikola Tesla sits in one of the armchairs nursing yet another glass of wine, as he lets his mind wander over the events that left him here alone and miserable.

_As their latest raid on the Cabal is coming to a close, Johnny Boy unceremoniously pops in, grabs him by the lapels, and quite literally drops him off in the Sanctuary's foyer. No thank you, no word on where he was off to, nothing! Cursing loudly, he heads upstairs to shower and change._

_He knows the others will be attending Ashley's memorial service. As he is cleaning himself up he thinks about attending, but quickly nixes the idea. He is still not sure where he stands with Helen. He did, after all; create the weapon that was supposed to be used to kill her daughter. Even though she had asked him to do it, he is certain she is still harboring some resent towards him._

_Instead, he makes his way down to the wine cellar, finds himself a particularly fine vintage, and holds his own 'service' for the young woman he really never got to know. _

Nikola rises from the chair and is heading towards the window, when something on one of the computer monitors captures his attention. He pulls out the chair and sits down in front of the array of computer screens situated on the desk. The rectangular message box centered on the middle monitor captures his attention.

'ANALYSIS COMPLETE: No sign of requested energy signature within electromagnetic field.'

"Oh, Helen. What were you thinking?" Nikola murmurs. Placing the wine glass on the desk, he begins typing. Within seconds he has backtracked Helen's search for Ashley to the original EM Field scans from the night of the attack; the night of Ashley's death.

As he reads through the data, he realizes something is wrong. Scanning through the information again, he spots it. The scans show three attempted teleports after the EM Shield was activated. If he correctly remembers the incident reports he 'borrowed' and read, which of course he does, Nikola is positive that there were only two attempted teleports. The first was the male super abnormal that tried to stop Heinrich from resetting the EM Shield. The second was Ashley herself. While it is true that Ashley brought another of her 'clones' along with her, it was still only one teleport.

"So where did this other signature come from?" he asks out loud. He brings up the EM Field Data screen, then the scans of the teleports. He starts going through the teleport scans one by one, starting with Ashley's. Using hers as the baseline, he compares the other two energy signatures to it. Sure enough, the first reported teleport signature is slightly off from the others.

"Well, well. There you are and you are most definitely not a teleport signature. Someone went to a lot of trouble to make the computer think you were, though. So, let's see what you really look like, shall we." Nikola types out a few commands and is rewarded with a clean scan of the signature in question. His eyes widen is surprise, for he recognizes the energy signature all too well. It was from the portable containment field generator he had designed and constructed for the Banks siblings.

He sits back in the chair, elbows resting on the arms. He steeples his fingers and taps them lightly against his lips, lost in thought. Suddenly, an idea comes to him and he is furiously typing once more. Sure enough the EM Field destabilization started in the Main Lab moments after the portable containment field generator was activated. It literally created a bubble in the EM Shield. Anyone within said bubble could safely teleport out of the area, but would not actually be able to leave the Sanctuary. Instead, they would bounce back, landing somewhere within the building.

It would then be a matter of locating them and removing them from the premises. Nikola has no doubt that Talia and Mir know their way around the Sanctuary well enough, and with all the confusion it would have been easy to leave undetected. He wonders how they managed to subdue the two superabnormals. Perhaps, they didn't need to do anything. The impact with the shield most likely rendered the women unconscious.

Nikola finds himself in awe of the two young adults. He smiles to himself, "You two are even more intelligent than I gave you credit for."

He reaches into his pocket and retrieves the cell phone they gave him. Pressing the redial button he waits for it to ring. Instead he hears an annoying string of beeps and a computerized voice stating "We're sorry, but the number you have reached is out of service. Please check the number and dial again."

Nikola is about to throw the phone across the room, but thinks better of it and slips it back into his pocket, instead. He quickly returns everything to the way he found it and rises to leave the room. He has a set of rather deviously smart siblings to locate, and a million questions they need to answer.

* * *

><p>Nikola may have figured out what the twins were up to, but they always knew he would and took precautions. They are his children after all ;-)<p>

In Eulogy, Helen says that there were three teleports after the EM Shield went up, but I rewatched End of Nights Pt2 and only saw two. So I used that little flub to my advantage. Thanks for reading. Reviews are always nice. Until next time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's the next chapter. It's really short, so be warned. Contains spoilers for S1E13 Revelations: Pt2. It also contains lines taken directly from that episode. No copyright infringement intended. Enjoy.**

**Bold = thoughts**

**Italics = flashbacks/memories**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 5:**

(New Sanctuary - 2009)

She tosses restlessly in her sleep. Even though she is utterly exhausted, her mind cannot shut down. Images and voices from the past shadow through her subconsciousness...

(Cabal Research Facility)

_Dana Whitcomb's face dances in her field of vision, "You're going to die today, Ashley."_

**What the hell? **_Blackness envelops her._

x

(Old City Sanctuary Infirmary)

_"How is she?" John asks._

_Helen sounds worried, but calm, "She's unconscious. Something is wrong her blood pressure's elevated, I need to run more tests."_

**Mom? Dad? I'm awake. Why can't I open my eyes? Why can't I talk?**

**Because I don't want you to. **_A familiar, yet strange, voice whispers through her mind._

_"They've done something to her," her father states with an edge to his words._

_"She'll be all right, John. She's strong," her mother reassures him._

**Who the hell are you? What do you mean 'you don't want me to'? This is my body and I want to open my eyes and speak to my parents, damn it! I can't let them keep worrying about me, when there's way more important stuff for them to be doing.**

_The voice laughs. _**I am you; the part of you that you're afraid to let show. I'm in control now, so just sit back and enjoy the show. **

_John requests, "I'd like to stay close, if you don't mind?"_

_"Of course," she replies._

**Yes. Stay as close as you like, Father dear. It will make it that much easier to kill you all at once. **_The voice states venomously._

**No! Mom! Dad!**

**Would you please shut up! You're giving me a headache!**_ The voice hisses. Once again, she is shrouded in darkness._

x

(Old City Sanctuary Med Lab)

**Just look at them. So oblivious to what is about to happen. **_She can imagine the voice smirking._

_Helen is standing in front of a microscope looking over her right shoulder at the display screen Nikola is currently focused on._

**What are you going to do?**

**Exactly as I was ordered. **_The voice spits out, as she watches her hand grabbing the container of Source Blood._

**But they need that to make the cure for the Lazarus Virus!**

**Oh well. Too bad for them. **_The voice sneers, teleporting her out of the room._

x

(Easter Island)

_In a flash of red plasma flames she appears on Easter Island. Dana Whitcomb is emerging from between two of the huge statues that make this island so famous. She strides arrogantly towards her._

**Perfect teleport, if I do say so.**_ The voice boasts smugly._

**What are we doing here? And why is she here?**

**Just wait. You always were so impatient. **_The voice says in an irritated tone. As the other woman nears, she sees her hand hold out the bottle of Source Blood._

_"Thank you, Ashley," Dana smiles, "You've been everything we could've hoped for. Welcome to your rebirth."_

**Why you self-righteous bitch! You're going to pay for whatever you've done to me!**

**Quiet yourself. You're in no position to do anything. As I said before, I'm in control now. **_The voice lectures harshly. _**The sooner you accept it, the better it will be for both of us. Just give in, Ashley. It's what we've always wanted, what you've always wanted.**

**Go to hell! I will never give in to you.**

**Suit yourself. Eventually, you will give in or die. I would prefer the first, but will settle for the latter. **_The voice answers calmly. Blackness descends around her._

* * *

><p>To be continued… I know. I'm evil. Thanks for reading, though. Until next time.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

**So, here's the rest of the nightmare sequence. It contains spoilers for S2E1: End of Nights Pt1, as well as dialog from said episode. No copyright infringement intended. Enjoy.**

**Bold = thoughts**

**Italics = memories/flashbacks**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 6:**

(Data farm, Canada)

_She teleports into a room full of servers behind a technician who appears to be doing some kind of maintenance check. Before the man even knows she is there, she is knocking him out. Then she lets a shurikan fly, slicing the cable to the security camera._

**Why are you doing this?**

**Why not? **_The voice retorts._** I do what they ask me to and have some fun at the same time. It's a win/win situation. **

**It's wrong!**

**Come on Ashley. You really need to loosen up. **_The voice laughs. She watches herself smash the glass door on one of the servers, before pulling two of the individual sections out. Just as security is entering the room, she steps between two of the servers and teleports out._

x

(Cabal Research Facility)

_The sounds of Beethoven's 'Fur Elise' reach her ears. She tries to get up, but finds herself strapped down. She realizes that she can hear a woman's voice close by. Even though she cannot place it, it is familiar._

**It's the doctor who gave us our freedom. **_The voice says, almost reverently._

**You mean it's the bitch who let you out?**

**Don't you ever talk about her that way again! **_The voice threatens._

_"…weeks just fly by. We both work so hard during the week; we never get a chance to talk. But, then Friday comes along, and we can catch up. Unwind. Decompress," the doctor is saying._

_She feels fingers lightly caress her face and stroke her hair. "So, how are you?"_

**Just great! I'm stuck in my head with an obviously psychotic alter ego, while you experiment on me. Couldn't be better. Thanks for asking.**

**You really need to be more thankful to her. She's trying to bring out our full potential. **_The voice states belligerently._

**Or what? You'll vote me off?**

**Shut up!**_ The voice orders._

_"I just opened the gate and kind of pushed her out," the doctor is speaking._

_Dana Whitcomb replies, "Begin Phase 2."_

**What the hell is she talking about? What is 'Phase 2'?**

**I don't know, but I can't wait to find out. **_The voice answers gleefully._

_"Yes, but your success accelerated the schedule. I want her ready for trials as soon as possible," Dana commands. The sounds of her heels clicking on the floor indicate she is moving away._

_The doctor quietly says, "Okay."_

_She hears movement, before the doctor speaks to her again, "Don't worry, hon. I am going to be with you every step of the way. And when I'm done here, you'll be better than you are now."_

_Suddenly fire spreads through her veins. The pain is so intense; she thinks she is going to die. She wants to scream, but finds that she cannot._

_"Ashley," the doctor calls her. Her eyes fly open and she sees an older red haired female in a lab coat looking down at her._

**Mom! **_She thinks sadly, as the pain overwhelms her and she falls into the welcoming darkness._

x

_She awakes to the fire licking through her veins once more. This time she feels as if she is floating, but still is restrained. She tentatively attempts to move her hands and is surprised when they respond. It doesn't escape her notice that the voice is silent through it all. Perhaps she is regaining her control. She starts thrashing about, trying to get free. _

_"Don't fight it, Ashley, just let it happen. Oh, honey, I hate to see you like this. Rebirth is painful. But it'll be so beautiful," the doctor attempts to soothe her._

_She opens her eyes and glares at the older woman. _**If you care so damn much why don't you let me free!**

_The doctor walks away from her, seemingly unaffected by her conscious state. _

x

_"Ashley! Ashley!" her mother's voice calls out. Her eyes snap open and she sees the doctor sitting at a desk with her back to her. She tries to get up and finds herself still restrained. Looking down at her hand, she watches in fascination as talons extend from her fingers. Curling her fingers, she slices easily through the strap. Quickly she releases herself from the remaining restraint and silently rises from the table. _

_She stealthily moves up behind the doctor with her talons extended, ready to strike. Without warning, her body freezes._

_"Those urges you're feeling are entirely normal, and they can be controlled," the doctor informs her, continuing with whatever she is doing._

_Try as she might, she cannot get her hand to move. Terror slowly fills her and she begins to cry._

**It is time to accept the inevitable, Ashley. Let go of all that pain and anguish. Surrender to me and be free. **_The voice whispers seductively._

**Ok.**

x

(New Sanctuary)

Natalija bolts awake, her heart racing and her body covered in a cold sweat. She shakes her head, trying to clear away the memories that are not her own. Throwing back the covers, she slips off the bed hurriedly. She slides on her slippers and robe, as she heads for the door.

She is halfway to the lift, when she senses Vladimyr come into step with her. His hand automatically rests on the small of her back to comfort her. She looks up at him and he simply nods. Together they enter the lift.

* * *

><p>So much for Natalija getting some sleep. Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's the next chapter. I'm really not sure about this one, but my cousin says it's good. Spoilers for S2E4 Hero. Enjoy.**

**Bold = thoughts**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 7:**

(Vladimyr's Lab, Engineering Wing, New Sanctuary - 2009)

"Please," Natalija says sweetly, her hands clasped in front of her chest.

Vladimyr shakes his head, "No! We are not going anywhere near that warehouse, Natalija,"

She pouts, "It's a Coleanthropus! I may never get the chance to see one again."

"First of all, I'm sure this one will still be at the Sanctuary when Mother rejoins her timeline. Second, we are vampires. I'm certain that somewhere along the line of our long lifetimes we will find another one," he lectures her.

"The first is nearly two years away," his sister points out. "Who knows what could happen to it in that span of time? And the chances of seeing another one even during our long lifespan is extremely unlikely."

Her brother places his hands on his hips, "We are not going, Natalija."

"But…" she starts.

"No," he starts working again.

She follows after him, "Vladimyr?"

"Natalija," he replies sternly.

"A Coleanthropus," she pleads.

"Mother, before she is our mother, Declan, Will, and Henry," he informs her.

That seems to stop her, but only for a moment, "We'll just have to stay out of sight."

"Or," Vladimyr tells her, "we just stay away from the warehouse, all together."

"You're being unfair," she sulks.

"You're being unreasonable," he counters.

"You're both being quite disagreeable this morning," Helen states as she enters the lab.

Both the twins turn to face her at the same time, "Good morning, Mother."

"Get your gear, we have a sighting in River's Edge Park," she orders her children. "Since we know where the Old City team will be, it's safe to say we will not run into them."

"A sighting?" her daughter questioned. "A sighting of what?"

Their mother smiles, "A nympha lignum."

Natalija's eyes widen in surprise and then she grins with childish glee.

Vladimyr smiles at his sister's reaction, "A Dryad sighting and the Coleanthropus is all but forgotten."

Without taking her eyes off their mother, Natalija punches her brother in the arm. Vladimyr lets out a little yelp and turns to glare at his sister.

Helen laughs and rolls her eyes at her children's antics, "I'll meet the two of you in the garage in ten minutes."

x

(Infirmary, New Sanctuary - 2009)

"How was I suppose to know she was pregnant?" Vladimyr asks as he carefully lays the writhing abnormal on the gurney.

Both Helen and Natalija look at him in disbelief, "Really?"

Helen goes about getting herself ready and gathering the supplies needed for the delivery.

Natalija takes one of the Dryad's brown rough-skinned hands in hers. Trying to soothe the soon to be mother, she smiles and speaks quietly, "Just try to breathe, Sha'Adren. I promise you my mother is the best doctor you and your baby can have."

"I kn…" the Dryad begins to respond, but ends up screaming as another contraction hits.

Helen sees her daughter bite back a cry of her own, as the pregnant woman squeezes her hand so hard as to actually crack some of the bones. As soon as Sha'Adren loosens her grip, Natalija stretches out her hand to allow the bones to heal correctly. Just as quickly, she returns to comforting the nymph.

"I'll leave you to it, then," Vladimyr says, as he turns to walk away.

"No you don't, young man," his mother states before he takes his second step. "You can go get washed up and put on some scrubs. I'm going to need your assistance."

He turns back to his mother, "What about Natalija? Why can't she help you?"

"She is helping Sha'Adren to remain calm," Helen places her fingers on her forehead in a quick gesture.

Understanding dawns on him and he nods, "Right. I'll only be a couple of minutes."

Helen cannot help but be proud of the way Vladimyr and Natalija turned out. Suddenly, she is struck by the rightness of having them here with her in this place and time. Not that she will ever admit it to anyone, but there were times when she wanted to give up. One look at her children, though, and she knew she had to see her plan through to the end. Now with her goal so close, she is certain that she would have never gotten this far without their help and support. **And to think they almost never were.**

* * *

><p>Let me know what you think, good or bad. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

**Ok, here's the next chapter. It would have been up yesterday, but my computer crashed and the file somehow got corrupted. It took me a while to figure out how to get it opened so I could at least retype it into another document. It contains spoilers for S1E3 Fata Morgana and S2E1&2 End of Nights Pt 1&2. It also refers back to Stolen Moments: Season 1 Chapter 1. Enjoy.**

**Bold italics = telepathic messages**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 8**

(Rona, Scotland - 2009)

"Are you sure this is the place," Ashley asks, as she looks out over the apparently desolate island.

Vladimyr glances at the computer tablet he is holding and nods, "According to the transponder signals they should be about twenty yards or so straight ahead."

Sarah surveys the area around them, once more, "So why exactly are we here again?"

"We are here because Natalija and Vladimyr have a promise to keep and a debt to repay," Alex answers. "And they are nothing if not honorable, when it comes to those matters."

"Why thank you, Alex," Natalija says sweetly. She studies the other woman for a second, before continuing to move away losing herself in her own thoughts. She hopes she did the right thing in allowing the two women to accompany them on this mission. After purging them of the mind control drugs and giving them months of therapy, neither one had shown any signs of relapsing into the rather psychotic behave the Cabal had induced in them. They had, of course, also been kept isolated in an unused section of the New Sanctuary. Well, it was too late to worry about it now. She would just keep an eye on them.

Vladimyr stops next to Sarah and explains, "We're here to find and free the Morrigan. They are a set of three abnormal sisters that the Cabal has kept as slaves, more or less, for centuries. When faced with the choice of freedom for themselves or saving our family and friends almost two years ago, they chose the latter. In exchange, we made a promise to set them free as soon as we could."

"And now that the Cabal is pretty much gone, we can do just that," his twin sister halts briefly, her eyes scanning their surroundings.

They move on in silence; the only sounds being those of the surf beating on the rocks and the mournful crooning of the seals perched out on those same rocks. The land around them rises and falls in waves, as if the island is nothing more than a green and brown extension of the vast ocean that surrounds it.

The island itself is approximately a mile and a half long with a single hill around three hundred feet high. The ruins of a settlement and a chapel all that remains to mark that once humans had called this lonely place home.

"How much further?" Alex whispers just loud enough for the others' vampiric hearing to pick up.

Vladimyr comes up to stand near him. Pointing to the remaining rough stone walls rising out of the ground, he replies in a similiarly quiet whisper, "Somewhere among the ruins there."

"We should proceed with caution," Ashley warns.

Natalija stops dead in her tracks, a low growl building in her throat. _**Too late. We are not alone.**_

All of them drop to the ground, hiding in the shadows that fill the ditches like murky water. They peek over the edges of the mounds of earth to examine the area more closely. Ashley points with one of her hands to a grouping of the old walls to the left of their position. She holds up all five fingers and then two on the other hand, indicating that she has spotted seven of the dark cloaked Keepers.

Vladimyr nods once in understanding. He catches Natalija's eye and motions that they should go around to the right. Ashley, Alex, and Sarah will go to the left. They are hoping to catch the Keepers off guard and flank them. Slowly and as silently as possible the five of them crawl into position. At her brother's signal, Natalija sends. _**Now!**_

They move in unison. Alex pulls his gun and the others slide into their vampire forms, as they close in on the Keepers. The other abnormals fan out to meet their attackers, bellowing for reinforcements. More Keepers pour out of the surrounding ruins instantly. Within seconds it is a flurry of talons, fangs, and bullets; blood from both groups sprays across the ground and ruin walls.

Alex's deadly accuracy takes out enemies in rapid succession. Ashley and Sarah wade into the battle using talons and fangs indiscriminately with overwhelming results. Meanwhile, Vladimyr and Natalija seem to almost dance from one enemy to the next, mixing martial arts with the use of their natural weapons. In the end, only the five of them are left standing; their torn clothes covered in blood and dirt.

"When I agreed to come along on this mission of yours, I didn't realize just how insane the lot of you were," Alex tells them, as he checks and reloads his gun.

Ashley grins at him, "But, you have to admit we're never dull."

"I'll give you that," he replies with a laugh. It occurs to him that he is extremely glad that Ashley is not as dead as everyone else believes her to be.

While Natalija quickly 'checks' on Ashley and Sarah, Vladimyr dashes over to retrieve his tablet from their previous hiding spot. Upon his return, he finds that none of the women have reverted to their human forms. He gives Alex a questioning look.

"It appears that Sarah is afraid there are more of the Keepers lurking about and feels more secure with all of you in your vampire forms. Just to be prepared," his friend informs him.

"Ok," Vladimyr draws out the word, handing the tablet over to Alex. He allows his transformation to take over, earning him a smile from Sarah. He finds it hard to believe that just mere months ago she was trying to kill almost everyone he cared about.

Alex kneels down, removing his backpack and takes out a flashlight. He glances down at the tablet once more, before stowing it in the backpack. Pointing to a gap in one of the ruin walls with his flashlight, he states, "The signals are coming from somewhere in there."

Natalija cocks her head towards the hole, "Shall we?"

Alex enters first with the flashlight in one hand and his gun in the other. One by one the rest of them follow him through the low opening. A few feet in they find stone stairs leading downward. At the base of the steps is a chamber holding three sarcophagi. They are evenly spaced around a Celtic triquetra carved into the floor with branches leading back to each of them.

"Now this looks awfully familiar," Ashley says. Noting that there are no more Keepers, she relaxes into her human form. The three remaining vampires do the same.

Vladimyr glances at her and inquires, "How do we open them?"

Walking to the center of the chamber, Ashley steps onto the triquetra. Suddenly a green liquid flows from each of the stone coffins and through the channels of the carving. She quickly steps back. When the fluid reaches the center, the covers slide aside revealing the Morrigan. Natalija and Vladimyr rush to check on the three sisters.

"They appear to be comatose, which is congruent with Mother's original findings," Natalija informs the rest of the team. She continues, "We should get them back to the Sanctuary immediately. Then I can do a proper examination and get them started on a time release stimulant."

Alex speaks up, "Ashley, you and Sarah can take Natalija and Vladimyr back with the first two girls. Then come back for me and the last one."

"That will work just fine. That way I can get started right away," Natalija agrees.

Vladimyr nods, "Works for me too."

"Ok. Then lets go," Ashley says.

"Wait!" Alex exclaims. "How are you going to explain their arrival to Helen?"

"I'm not sure," Natalija shrugs. "Though, I'm certain we can think of something before she gets back from her trip."

"Right. What was I thinking?" he asks sarcastically. She only smirks at him. He gives an exasperated sigh.

Vladimyr and Natalija each carefully pick up one of the unconscious women. Ashley lays her hand on her sister's shoulder, while Sarah grips Vladimyr's arm. In a flash of red plasma flames, they disappear. Alex has just enough time to gingerly remove the last sister from her coffin, before Ashley pops in and teleports them back to the New Sanctuary infirmary.

* * *

><p>In <em>Island at the edge of the world<em>, the Scottish poet Kathleen Jamie describes her visit to Rona. I found it both enlightening and informative. It's the reason I chose Rona for the location of this chapter.

Just in case you didn't figure it out, Sarah is the other superabnormal that Ashley brought along with her. Alex is an 'old' family friend, who also happened to date Natalija once upon a time. I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading. Until next time.


	9. Chapter 9

**Here it is, the next chapter. Spoiler alert for S2E7 Veritas. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 9:**

(Helen Magnus' Office, New Sanctuary)

"Chilean Shepherd Frogs… Ozone Beetles… Why… What… Errrr," Natalija growls in frustration, as she stalks over to the window. She stands with her back to the room, trying to calm herself.

"I believe what she is trying to ask, Mother, is what in bloody hell were you thinking?" Vladimyr exclaims loudly. His normally steel blue eyes are clouded with red/black swirls.

Although Helen had expected a violent reaction from her daughter, her son's reaction is a bit unsettling. It is an unusual sight for her to see him like this. Natalija's emotions tend to override her control, however Vladimyr normally has amazing control over his emotions. Perhaps, she should have left out the part about just how close to dying she had come while enacting her plan.

She takes a deep breath and tries to explain, "Once I traced the information leaks back to Emma, I had to come up with a plan to flush her out."

"So you thought 'killing' one of your oldest friends and driving yourself insane was a good plan?" Vladimyr asks obviously irritated.

Helen attempts to continue, "You are forgetting she's a telepath. I had to be certain that she couldn't read either of our minds."

"And you are forgetting the fact that you very nearly died!" Natalija adds sharply, as she returns to stand next to her brother.

"Right. There was that, too," her son agrees.

"Nonsense," their mother replies. "I was never in any real danger."

Her daughter looks at her in disbelief, "Really, Mother? What do you call being put into a chemically induced coma to stop the grand mal seizures?"

"It was a calculated risk, but in the end we caught her," she answers, getting a bit annoyed with her children's attitudes.

"Do you truly think it was worth risking your life to catch her, Mother?" Vladimyr questions softly.

Helen opens her mouth to respond, but closes it upon seeing the looks on the twins' faces. The pain and distress she finds in their eyes, alone, makes her heart ache and her guilt increase three fold. She is hit with the sobering realization that if something devastating happens to her, she will be missed. It seems strange that she has never thought to factor that little bit of information into any of her plans before. She decides, right then and there, that she will try to keep this in mind when contemplating any future schemes. 'Try' being the key word here, after all; Helen Magnus has never backed down from danger, ever. Taking another look at her children, she figures she can, at the very least, flirt with it a little less.

"I left careful instructions with my old friend to call the whole thing off, in two days time, if things went badly," she informs them soothingly.

Natalija begins, "If the plan isn't going badly, then why are you asking us to interfere with the timeline to help you out with it…"

"When for the past hundred plus years you have repeatedly told us not to interfere with the timeline," her son concludes.

"You are not interfering, per se," Helen states.

The twins stare at her in utter confusion for about half a second, before she sees the light of understanding brighten their eyes.

"We are… setting things straight," Vladimyr deduces.

Natalija reasons, "The only way you can be so sure of that is if you had seen us."

"The two of you found me wondering the docks and hid me in the university storage facility," their mother informs them. "You told me that Will and Kate would come to help me, soon. Even though I had no idea who you were, I trusted you."

Natalija gives Helen a wistful little grin, "I guess all that stuff about the bonds between a mother and her children are true."

"Or you used your charms on her," Vladimyr reminds his sister.

"That's highly unlikely," his sister tells him. "The effects of the Ozone Beetle would prevent me from influencing her, just as it kept the others from reading her mind."

Before her son can respond, Helen says, "There's more."

"Of course there is," he sighs.

Their mother carries on, "When I questioned Gig later, he claimed that I sent him word to 'let it slip' that I had purchased the Red Listers."

"Which, I'm presuming, you did not do," Vladimyr hazards a guess.

"Correct," she answers, "Furthermore, Declan said he received an anonymous call telling him to follow Henry to find me. He said the female voice was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. When he asked her who she was, she informed him she was 'an old friend of the family'." Helen looks pointedly at her daughter.

"What?" Natalija tries to feint innocence. "Ok. It does sound a bit like something I would say."

Helen closes her eyes and shakes her head, then goes on, "Lastly, Kate was told where to find me by a young man matching your current description, Vladimyr."

"You want us to do all of this, because you think we have already done it," her son states.

"I don't think. I know," their mother declares.

The twins glance at one another for a moment their eyes twinkling, before her daughter says, "Alright. Where do we begin?"

* * *

><p>Interfering in mom's timeline with permission. Oh, what havoc they could wreak, if they had a mind to. Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

**Here's the next chapter. Although there are no spoilers, per se, this chapter does take place shortly after S2E8 Next Tuesday. Enjoy.**

**Bold = thoughts**

**Italics = flashbacks/memories**

**Bold italics = telepathic messages**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 10:**

(River's Edge Park, New City - October 20, 2009)

Natalija stands in the clearing, wind whipping around her and dark clouds closing in fast. She can smell the rain in the air; feel the static electricity crackling across her skin. Then she hears it, a low guttural growling. **Gotcha!**

She swings around letting her transformation take over, as the creature breaks through the tree line. At the last second, she sidesteps slamming her left hand into the center of the creature's back. She feels her talons slide deep into the creature's flesh. With an ear-piercing shriek, it slams to the ground. Natalija whips out her gun shooting it twice with tranquilizers.

Toeing the creature to check it's level of consciousness, she sneers, "Hello, beastie. So nice of you to finally join the party."

A second later Vladimyr, Alex, Ashley, and Sarah emerge from the woods. Her brother marches over to her and shouts angrily, "You're bloody crazy! You know that, don't you? You should have waited for the rest of us. That thing could have ripped your head clean off!"

Natalija gazes stonily into his eyes, "But it didn't."

"And she's worried about our mental stability?" Sarah whispers.

Without taking his eyes off of his old friend, Alex replies, "This is totally out of character for her. Natalija's plans usually run the risk of getting those involved in trouble, not killed. Something must seriously be bothering her."

Ashley stares at the ground sullenly. _**Natalija?**_

_** Not now, Ashley.**_ Even telepathically, her words drip with animosity.

_**I'm really sorry, Natalija.**_ The blonde tries again. It startles Ashley to understand how much her sister's anger at her affects her. These reactions are usually reserved for their mom's wrath.

_**Of all the weapons you can use, Ashley, words cut the deepest and are the hardest to recover from. **_Natalija sends.

_**Natalija, please. **_She pleads. Silence is the only answer she receives. Her mind wanders back over the conversation that led them to this impasse.

_ "I just want to see her, Natalija. She's my mom too!" Ashley nearly screams._

_ Her sister looks at her with understanding, as she goes through the explanation again, "You know you cannot do that, Ashley. It could alter the timeline, and it's not only our lives that would be impacted. So as much as I would love to see the two of you together, we cannot take that risk. You must realize this."_

_ "Oh, I get it. You figure that you can't compete with me, because I was her first born. So, you think the longer you keep us apart, the longer you get to be Mommy's little princess!" Ashley throws at her sister._

_ Natalija actually takes a step back from her, as if Ashley's words had been a physical slap. Pain and confusion fill her eyes. She turns her back on her sister and softly says, "I thought you knew me better than that, Ashley. If that's how you truly feel, then by all means, go and see her right now. To hell with the bloody timeline! I will not stop you." _

_ Seeing her sister's reaction, Ashley steps forward and reaches out for Natalija, "I'm so sorry, Natalija. I didn't mean it. I wasn't thinking."_

_ She is surprised when the other woman twists away from her grasp. Just as suddenly, Natalija spins to face her with eyes swirling red/black, fangs and talons exposed. Her voice is no longer a whisper, but a low growl filled with bitterness, "No, you did not think. You just said the first thing that came into your head, paying no mind to how hurtful or vicious it may be."_

_ Ashley begins to ramble, "With it being my birthday and all, it got me thinking about Mom. We've always spent my birthday together, no matter what we were doing. I got upset, but I know you're right. We can't take the chance that it will change the timeline. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Please, Natalija."_

_ Natalija reverts to her human form, but anger still darkens her eyes as she states, "We need to be going. The others are waiting for us."_

"Ashley?" Alex places a hand on her shoulder, bringing her back to the present. "Are you alright?"

"Yah," she responds half-heartedly. Looking around for a second, she notices that the others are nowhere in sight. She turns to Alex with a puzzled look on her face.

He gives her a smile, "You appeared to be somewhat distracted, and so I told Sarah to take Natalija and Vladimyr back to the van. I told them we would be along momentarily."

"Thank you," Ashley says, not quite being able to meet his eyes.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" her friend asks sincerely.

She shakes her head and sighs, "No, I'm afraid not. I got myself into this one, and I'm going to have to get myself out."

"I can tell you from experience that she cannot stay angry with you forever. It may seem like it, but she just doesn't have the capacity for it," Alex states matter-of-factly.

"I hope you're right," the blonde answers, "because, I really messed up this time."

"Trust me, she'll come around before you know it," he informs her, giving her a conspiratorial wink. "Now, let's get our new resident here back to the van, before he wakes up."

* * *

><p>Well, it can't be sunshine and rainbows all the time. They are sisters after all. On top of everything else she's dealing with, Ashley is also trying to come to terms with having two new siblings. Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

**Another chapter done. It contains itty bitty spoilers for S2E2 End of Nights Pt2, S2E10 Sleepers, and S3E4 Trail of Blood. Enjoy.**

**Bold italics = telepathic messages**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters, but on occassion I wish I did.**

**Chapter 11:**

(One of the labs, Old City Sanctuary - 2009)

Nikola sits staring at the computer monitor waiting for the results of his latest series of tests. He has already been here for a couple of weeks pouring over any and all the books he could find in the extensive library that he thought might be relevant in any way. He had gone so far as to re-examine every bit of Helen's data and test results, all to no avail. It wasn't that he didn't trust Helen when she said that she had tried everything she could think of. He just needed to try everything he could think of, too. It is very true that the two of them can easily follow one another's train of thought when working together. It is just as true that their minds tend to wander along different paths when left on their own. Nikola hopes that he can come up with an idea that his dear Helen has not yet thought of.

The results finally appear on the screen. Much to his disappointment, they are all negative. He slams his fist down on the tabletop, "Son of a bitch!"

A knock at the door stops him from continuing his tirade, "Go away! I don't need any help, nor do I want anything to eat! Just leave me alone!"

The door opens anyway, revealing Talia and Mir Banks. They slip inside the room quickly and lock the door behind them.

Nikola sighs, "Oh. It's you two."

"Since we are offering neither help nor food, Dr. Tesla, we figured we could enter," the young woman says with a smile.

Her brother continues, "Besides, you were the one that was looking for us, were you not?"

"You took your sweet time," their father sneers. Truthfully, the reason he had been looking for them had slipped his mind with his de-vamping. He knew it would come to him, given time.

Natalija glares, "So sorry, but we do have other matters that need our attention."

Nikola waves off her comment, "Yes, yes. Of course you do. Do not worry about me. I just lost the very essence of my being, but, please, take your time."

Seeing his sister's eyes start to darken, Vladimyr places a calming hand on the small of her back. _**Please, Tali, just let it go. He is not himself right now. **_

She closes her eyes and swallows whatever she was about to say. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she reopens her eyes and turns to look at her brother. _**I know he is suffering, Vlad, but we had nothing to do with it. Why does he think he has the right to take it out on us?**_

_**Because he is Father.**_ He smiles at her and she responds in kind.

Nikola watches them with guarded interest. He has witnessed these very brief silent 'conversations' between the two of them almost every time he has met them. He wonders why it is only now that he understands the implications.

"You're telepaths," he states in astonishment.

The twins face him simultaneously, as Talia's voice whispers in his mind. _**I am.**_

"And although I am not an actual telepath, my connection to my sister is exceptionally strong. It is a common occurrence in twins of our race," Vladimyr informs him.

"And what race would that be?" the older vampire asks.

Natalija offers, "Definitely not human."

He nods and, knowing that this is the only answer he will get for now, changes the subject, "Are either of your parents telepaths?"

"No," the younger man replies. "In fact, it actually surprised our mother."

"And your father?" Nikola questions.

"It's safe to say he was just as shocked as you when he figured it out," Natalija smiles widely.

_**Really, Tali? **_ Vladimyr asks.

_**What? It's the truth.**_ His sister defends.

"Back to the reason for our visit," Vladimyr states. "We have something for you, Dr. Tesla."

Nikola shakes his head, "No thank you. I want no part in any of your schemes. I have plenty of my own problems to deal with at the moment."

"Fine!" Natalija spits out, turning and heading for the door.

Vladimyr looks from his sister to his father and shrugs before following her.

"Wait," Nikola sighs. "What is it?"

The twins face him and the young woman replies, "It's just some information on an old Cabal research lab hidden in the Colombian Highlands."

"What?" he inquires in disbelief. "How did you get a hold of that? Druitt and I searched for that place for some time and could never seem to find any useful information."

Natalija shrugs, "I guess you were not looking in the right places."

"Or threatening the right people," Vladimyr adds, glancing at his sister.

"Right. Never mind," Nikola says, holding out his hand.

Vladimyr reaches into his pocket to bring forth a flash drive. He steps forward and hands it over to his father, "Everything you need to find the lab is there. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any information on its current condition or if it is even still in use. I would suggest being very careful, in any case."

"Of course," their father nods.

"Good luck, Dr. Tesla. I hope you find what you are searching for," Natalija bids him as a farewell. Vladimyr nods his head and the two of them turn again to leave.

Abruptly the original reason for his seeking them out returns to Nikola. He moves around the table to intercept them. He reaches out and takes hold of Natalija's arm. Both of the young people stop and look at him.

"There is one more thing," Nikola informs them, releasing the young woman. "I know why you needed the portable containment field generator. I even figured out how you used it to destabilize the EM Shield and create a safe transport area. The only thing I don't know is if you succeeded in your endeavor to save Ashley Magnus."

"Are you sure you want to be burdened with that knowledge, for good or bad, Dr. Tesla?" Natalija questions softly.

He glares at her slightly taken aback, "I have kept your secrets so far, have I not?"

"Yes, Dr. Tesla, you have," Vladimyr reassures him, "and we are very grateful to you for that."

"But," his sister continues, "I was not questioning that. I only wish to make certain that you truly understand what knowing the answer means. You will have to keep it to yourself even when Dr. Magnus is overcome with grief. When your heart nearly breaks watching her quietly suffer, you must remain silent. It will tear at your heart and eat away at your soul, and yet you cannot say a word. She must learn the truth for herself in the proper time. This is what it means to know the answer that you seek."

Nikola looks into Natalija's eyes and is struck by the turmoil he finds in their depths. He sees the same tumult reflected in Vladimyr's gaze. It is then that he fully comprehends the strain this kind of secret has put on these brilliant young minds. For the first time in quite a long time, Nikola Tesla is unsure of what to do.

Seeing the uncertainty in him, Natalija suggests, "Perhaps you should think on what I have said, Dr. Tesla."

"When next we meet, we will answer you, if that is what you choose," Vladimyr promises.

With that, the twins finally leave the lab. Nikola makes his way back to the table and drops heavily onto the stool, staring intently at the flash drive in his hand.

* * *

><p>Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading. Reviews are welcome. Until next time.<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

**This is the last chapter for this story, but I promise I am still working on Seasons 3 & 4. There are spoilers for S1E1&2 Revelations Pts 1&2. I apologize now for this chapter being a tad on the angst side. Today was the first anniversary of my grandmother's passing, which led me to write this chapter. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary or any of its characters.**

**Chapter 12:**

(Private Cemetery, UK Sanctuary, London, England - 2009)

Natalija sits in the small cemetery looking intently at the gravestone in front of her. Through her tears, she reads the inscription, once again.

'James Watson, 1844 - 2008, Uncle - Lover - Friend'

"I still miss you so much, Uncle James," she whispers, reaching out to trace the words on the stone with her fingertips. "I know it must seem strange to people that a life as long as yours was reduced to only three words, but not to me. They were the titles that meant the most to you." A sob escapes her lips, as she pulls back and covers her face with her hands.

She's not sure how long she has been sitting there crying, before she senses the others prior to them actually reaching her. A comforting hand rests on her shoulder, as Vladimyr comes to stand by her right side. Ashley stops just behind her and to the left, lightly brushing against her in reassurance.

"We knew we'd find you here," her brother says softly, as if afraid to shatter the peacefulness of the place.

Natalija glances up at him, "I am certain it was not all that hard to get it from Sarah."

"Actually, no," Ashley answers, "All I had to do was look at her face to know where she had brought you."

"You could have asked us to come with you, Tali. You didn't have to come alone," Vladimyr points out as he sits down next to her. He places his hand on the small of her back like he always does to sooth her.

She gives him a little smile, "I know that, but I just needed to be alone for a little while. I figured the two of you would join me eventually."

She looks up at Ashley and pats the ground beside her. Her sister lowers herself down to sit with them.

"I can't believe it's been a year already," Vladimyr tells his sisters.

"Neither can I," Natalija agrees. "But it has been one normal crazy happy sad wonderful terrible year, since we came here to see Uncle James for the last time."

Ashley tries to sniff back her tears, "At least the two of you had a chance to say 'goodbye'. I didn't have advance notice, and I was being brainwashed by the Cabal, when he…he died."

Natalija wraps her arm around her sister and pulls her in close. Vladimyr then reaches around Natalija's back to place his hand on Ashley's shoulder. The three siblings remain there in silence for some time; all of them lost in their own thoughts.

Reluctantly, Vladimyr sits up and quietly says, "We should get back. Mother will be looking for Natalija and I, soon. We promised to help with tonight's memorial service for Uncle James."

"We thought you might want to attend, Ashley," Natalija starts, as she faces her sister, "so I put a mourning cloak in your room. It was a Vampire custom to wear them to these services. It was an external symbol of their internal grief. We convinced Mother it was a fitting tribute. Of course, it will also make it easier for you blend in."

"Thank you. I'd like that very much," Ashley replies.

They all rise and head out of the cemetery together. As they cross the threshold of the EM Shield, Ashley reaches out to grab her siblings' hands and they disappear in a flash of red plasma flames.

* * *

><p>There are not many people in their pasts that the siblings all have in common. Pretty much there is Helen and Uncle James. So it seemed as good a bonding moment as any. I can tell you from my past experiences, it does tend to bring even the most adverse family members together, at least for a while. Thanks for reading. Until next time.<p> 


End file.
